The present invention relates to water treatment systems and, in particular, to a manifold system wherein a number of manifold sections separately contain preferred, replaceable treatment cartridges. Associated conduits and control valving monitor and appropriately regulate flow through the system to provide water having an accentuated concentration of a preferred bactericide.
As scientists have become more aware of the many ways in which diseases, microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, parasites and viruses) and volatile organic contaminants (VOC's) are communicated, efforts have been extended to improve or to develop water treatment facilities to reduce the transfer of such contaminants. Many user environments which have previously received relatively little attention are now being studied.
An impetus of the recent attention was a widely reported case of AIDS which spread to patients of a dental facility. Another disease of concern is legionnaires disease, which is believed to be spread in high moisture environments such as found in dental treatment facilities.
Two user environments which have been the focus of much recent attention are dental and medical facilities. Both of these latter facilities are exposed on a daily basis to unusually large varieties of microorganisms which can effect the health of the general population. The artificially high incidence and frequency of the exposure of either facility requires added precautions to properly deal with communicable diseases.
Depending upon the size of the facility, such as hospitals and larger medical and dental clinics, a limited filtration and treatment capability may already exist to condition the facility's general water supply. Any available system, however, is typically concerned only with treating the water that is received from the service utility or well to remove selected contaminants, sediments and particulates and to prevent blockage of the distribution system.
The institution may also occasionally take steps to back-flush or treat the plumbing or water distribution system to decontaminate the plumbing conduits and fixtures. These attempts are intended to decontaminate the general distribution system of contaminants which have accumulated and possibly multiplied over time, upon being admitted from the water source. These efforts typically require shutting the system down for a period of time, after chemical treatments are added; allowing the chemicals time to act; and purging or back-flushing the system of the treatment chemicals.
Although contaminants may enter a distribution system from the water utility or well, it has been discovered that contaminants and microorganisms are equally likely to migrate into the system from water dispensing fixtures in contact with the patient. Over time and with the accumulation of the contaminants and the multiplication of the collected microorganisms, the contaminants can be dispensed to subsequent users of the dispensing equipment.
Water fountains and patient treatment stations, such as used in dental offices, are particularly susceptible to the foregoing problems. The users of these devices are intimately exposed to transmit and receive microorganisms and contaminants from and to the distribution system through physical contact with the dispensing equipment. The degree and duration of the contact is greater for dental stations where water is dispensed via a provided glass, which permits patient rinsing; a high pressure spray, which is dispensed from the drill; and a low pressure sprayer, which permits the dentist to direct a low volume flow for cleaning. Dental stations also exhibit a suction effect with the operation of the drill which enhances the potential of reverse migration of microorganisms from each patient.
Attempts have not been made to provide systems or equipment for continuously treating the water at such fixtures.
Appreciating the potential for bacteria, parasites and viruses to migrate back into the conduits of the dispensing system, studies have been conducted at various institutions to objectively monitor the significance of the problem. One such study has been conducted by Jan Carlsson at the Umea University, Umea, Sweden. This study has measured significant initial concentrations of bacteria along with significant growth and regrowth of bacteria on a daily basis at a number of dental test stations. This study has also monitored the effects of equipment intended to provide solutions to the problem.
Upon particularly incorporating the system of the present invention at ones of such stations, appreciable reductions in the concentration of bacteria has been demonstrated. In fact the total elimination of bacteria has been demonstrated over a single day of use. Such studies have further confirmed the necessity of ongoing water purification treatments and preferably a mechanism for controllably or continuously dispensing bactericides and in close proximity to the dispensing equipment to assure the availability of disease and contaminant free water.